Hawick’s promotion push halted by four wicket over

Allan Moffat’s unbeaten 50 was in vain as four wickets in an over shattered Hawick’s promotion hopes, writes Ronan Alexander.

After losing the toss, the home side were put in to bat, and were up against Tranent’s very strong bowling attack.

Opening bowlers Mark Anderson and Umer Sardar put the Teries under pressure, which eventually told when Gary Alexander nicked one behind for 14.

Pierce Solley was Sardar Fahim’s first victim, being caught in the slips for six with the score on 55.

Sardar came back for his second spell, and claimed the wicket of Benny Hartop for 10, as the homesters tried to up the ante.

Phil Mactaggart put on 15 for the fourth wicket, before opening bowler Anderson came back for his second spell, and demoralised Hawick’s middle order, with MacTaggart the first to fall, being clean-bowled for six.

Euan Hair and Lee Stewart were bowled first ball to complete Anderson’s hat-trick, with Bruce Mactaggart caught by Russell three balls later. The Teries slumped from 91 for three to 91 for seven within the space of six balls, an over which could be pivotal in Hawick’s season.

The Buccleuch Park men had set solid foundations to build from, and with the big hitters in the middle order, they would have looked to have capitalised, however that was not the case.

It was now a case of rebuilding, as Stuart Hair joined Moffat at the crease and put on a 32-run partnership to steer Hawick towards a respectable total.

Moffat reached his half century in the last over, in a gritty knock, where runs were difficult to come by against the league’s best bowling unit, as Hawick finished on 125 for nine.

Stewart picked up the first wicket with the score on six, but in his next over, batsman Adnan Ali gloved a ball behind, but was given not out, much to the disbelief of the Hawick side.

The Teries gave everything in pursuit of victory and Hartop was rewarded, removing Ali in the slips for 18.

However, Tam Hardwick and Omais Altaf put on 59 for the fourth wicket before the former was caught for 18.

Solley removed Anderson lbw for seven, but Tranent reached their target inside the 35th over five wickets down. Hawick are now relying on results elsewhere to remain in contention for promotion to Division Six.